Connect Living Word’s Weekly Newsletter
July 22, 2018
Blessing of the Backpacks There will be a Blessing of the Backpacks at all services on August 12th! People of all ages, bring your backpack (or whatever you carry to school) to any service that day and receive a blessing for the new school year along with a keychain! __________________________________________________
Meet the Candidate for Associate Pastor! We invite you to the celebration of the 10th Ordination Anniversary of Pastor Emmanuel Jackson. Pastor Emmanuel joined our Living Word family in 2008 fresh out of seminary and has been our longest serving pastor. God has used Emmanuel's unique gifts to bless our community in many ways. On August 5th we will have the opportunity to give thanks to God for the ministry and gifts of our pastor during worship at 8:00am, 9:30am, and 11:00am. Bishop Michael Rinehart will preach and preside. A reception will follow the late service at 12:30pm in the Life Center. "This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes." - Psalm 118:23 __________________________________________________
LWR School Kit Drive Backpacks, rulers and pens! OH MY! The LWR School Kit Drive is gearing up and will run through September 9th. This annual ministry will supply school kits for under privileged kids in places all over the world. Please pick up a supply list in the lobby, where you can also find the donation box. The list is VERY item specific, so please check it carefully. Items that do not conform will be donated elsewhere. We hope to send no less than 100 kits. Even with the interruption of Harvey last year, we were able to collect 150 kits! Take advantage of those sales while they last! Thanks for your support. Questions? Nancy Tuttle –
[email protected].
ARIEL WILLIAMS July 29 at 6:00pm There will be a brief worship followed by a Q&A forum in the sanctuary. The congregational vote will be held on August 12 following each service. __________________________________________________
Next Sunday’s Change Offering: LWR School Kits & Baby Care Kits Imagine having to choose between a meal or purchasing a notebook. Lutheran World Relief sends School Kits to places where even the few required school supplies may be more than a family can afford. LWR also distributes Baby Care Kits as part of emergency relief efforts, and they are given to encourage expectant women to seek prenatal care. Please help us support these ministries with your Change Offering next Sunday! __________________________________________________
2018 Giving Actual YTD Receipts $677,268.66 Actual YTD Expenses $733,744.15 __________________________________________________
ARIEL WILLIAMS Candidate for Associate Pastor
The Call Committee is pleased to introduce you to Ariel Williams, candidate for Associate Pastor. Ariel graduated from United Lutheran Seminary in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania this past spring with a Masters in Divinity. Like many who are called to ministry, her journey has not been a straight line, and she obtained lots of relevant experience on the way. Prior to seminary, Ariel served four years as a Director of Child, Youth & Family Ministries and as Associate for Youth for one year. She feels that empowering youth to be current leaders in the church is very important. “They are our present, not our future”, Ariel writes. She has vast experience creating and adapting curricula, and in writing family and social media devotions, Christmas pageants and youth group lessons. During her internship at Grace Lutheran (Pennsylvania), Ariel was instrumental in reforming and revitalizing the child, youth and family ministries.
Overview of Job Description for Candidate for Associate Pastor at Living Word Required Leadership Skills: Spiritual gifts of leadership, planning, teaching and faith. Strong experience in youth and family ministry. Innovation and creativity to build education programs for all age groups. Good communicator from the pulpit and in one-on-one relationships. Able to demonstrate the relevance of Scripture in daily life.
Ariel is passionate about eco-stewardship and ecotheology. She has created a community garden at her prior church, and was Garden Steward and Food Pantry Coordinator while at seminary. She also is passionate about the global church and global ministries, and has taken trips to Honduras and Guatemala to study human migration.
Consistent practice of personal spiritual disciplines (i.e.
Ariel writes of her calling, “As great love and forgiveness has been bestowed on me, I in turn am called to reflect this love to others.”
first, making the conscious decision to lead to better
The Call Committee feels Ariel will be a vibrant voice proclaiming the Gospel to Living Word’s church family, its children and the community.
increasing teamwork and personal involvement.
Ariel currently lives in the Katy area with her two children, Patrick (12) and Isabelle “Izzy” (11).
Bible study, prayer, fasting, tithing, etc.). Team Builder who recruits, inspires and equips lay leaders with the leadership abilities and skills necessary for ministry. Understands and implements servant leadership to emphasize collaborations, trust, empathy and the ethical use of power. The Associate Pastor is a servant serve others, not to increase his/her own power. The objective is to enhance the growth of others by Exemplary Lifestyle – The Associate Minister’s personal life should be an example of integrity, humility, honesty and openness. His/her life should reflect a Christ-like maturity in all relationships, including marriage and family.
Primary Responsibilities Small Groups: Continue to develop the language, vision, theology and structure of the Small Group Ministry at Living Word. Recruit, empower, develop, mentor, train and equip leaders and potential leaders. Think of creative ways to have most of the church community be part of a small group. Think strategically about multiplying groups each quarter.
Sunday School & Christian Education: Develop the language, vision, theology and structure for classes to help our congregation grow from spiritual infancy to maturity. Empower, develop and equip leaders and teachers for the spiritual formation classes. Working with pastoral and ministry staff, plan spiritual formation classes and other spiritual formation experiences.
Preaching: Must be a strong and effective communicator who can preach 10-15 times a year. Work closely with the Senior Pastor to develop and improve preaching and worship leadership. Help develop the preaching calendar with the pastoral staff.
Provide Leadership for Major Community Formation Events: Organize an annual summer church-wide retreat/activity. Organize and lead silent retreats three to four times a year.
Spiritual Formation Strategy: Develop an overall church spiritual formation strategy that aligns with the needs of the church and community and encompasses the overall spiritual health, growth and development accounting for various ministries, growth stages, and affinity groups.
Pastoral Ministry Spend weekly time in personal spiritual renewal, as well as scheduling retreats for spiritual reflection, study, and prayer for vision and direction. Share general pastoral responsibilities with the Lead Pastor and other pastoral staff, including preaching, teaching, and overall leadership and care of the faith community. The Associate Pastor shall be one of the spiritual leaders of the congregation. He/she shall provide for continued spiritual health and vitality of the community, identify the needs within the faith community and the larger community, explore and adopt trends, best practices, and cutting-edge methodologies. Keep abreast of current trends in the church through reading, seminars, conferences, and networking, with responsibility for communicating these trends to the church leadership. Serve the wider church through local, synod, and church-wide leadership roles as time allows. The Associate Pastor shall foster good relationships with the ELCA, our synodical community, other churches within our community, and provide for ecumenical relationships. Oversee pastoral support for The Learning Center (TLC) ministry and help promote TLC as an important outreach ministry of Living Word. This includes supervising The Learning Center Director, conducting children’s chapel once a week, and developing the faith curriculum. Create a comprehensive plan for assimilating new members into the life of Living Word Lutheran Church. Oversee Sunday School (all ages), the Confirmation program, and the High School youth program with the assistance of coordinators (a combination of staff members and parent volunteers). Provide leadership for Camp Hope summer camp. Expand our Confirmation program in cooperation with our Confirmation support staff, parents and guides. Develop additional worship opportunities that are focused on youth and young adults with the goal of increasing youth involvement in worship. Regularly evaluate Discipleship ministries and the teaching ministries of the congregation to align with the mission, vision and values set forth by the Lead Pastor.
JR HIGH Continue to pray for the Camp Hope Support Staff as they work hard this third week of camp! They are learning leadership skills and helping the staff!
HIGH SCHOOL Pray for the Camp Hope Staff, who will be sharing another 5 new stories with campers this week! They relate every activity to the day’s Bible story! All youth ages 6 to 10 are invited to Camp Jam, Living Word's Music Day Camp! We only have about 25 spots left! This kid's immersion music program will expose youth to a variety of musical instruments and ensembles. If you are interested in signing up your child or grandchild, please register this week! The campers will be able to choose 4 out of the following 6 workshops: FUNdamental Drumming, Dance, Dance, Dance!, Piano for Beginners, Handbells 101, Guitar and Stringy Things, and Artistic Expressions with Yojuan. To register, go to livingwordkaty.org and click “Events”. For additional information, contact Barry Sames at 281-392-2300, x213 or
[email protected]. We are also presenting 5 scholarships to Katy Christian Ministries, so if you feel led to sponsor a week of camp for a child, please contact either Barry Sames at
[email protected] or Lynda Dowd at
[email protected]. __________________________________________________
High School Hang-out Sunday’s (aka HSHS) Do you want to get to know your fellow HS students??? All HS students are invited to attend church together on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Sundays and then go out to eat afterwards and hang-out. The 2nd and 4th Sundays you would go to your regular service time with your family. Parents don't have to come with you, but they are welcome. Parents can still go to their regular service time. Friends are always welcome to come! JULY: worship together at… 7/15, 8:00 AM & go to breakfast at 9:15 AM (set your alarm for EARLY AM 7/29, 9:30 AM & go to brunch at 10:45 AM AUGUST: worship together at… 8/5, 11:00 AM & go to lunch at 12:15 PM 8/19, 11:00 AM & go to lunch at 12:15 PM
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. - Ephesians 2:19-20
SEPTEMBER: worship together at…
Faith5 is a simple tool based on a focus verse from the Sunday text, then your household uses it in a nightly ritual SHARE highs and lows, READ the Bible verse or story, TALK about how the Bible might relate to highs and lows, PRAY for one another’s highs and lows, BLESS one another. __________________________________________________
For more information or if you need a ride, call or text Ginger Carlton at 281-814-3132
CHILDREN Pray for the Camp Hope campers, some of whom will be coming back for a third week; others will be attending their first week of camp! (All weeks are now full.)
9/2, 9:30 AM & go to brunch at 10:45 AM 9/16, 8:00 AM & go to breakfast at 9:15 AM (set your alarm for EARLY AM)
Want to be in the know about upcoming HS events??? Join the Remind group! There are 2 ways to join: Text @lwlch to the number 81010 or 828-348-1855 or Open your internet browser and go to rmd.at/lwlch—follow the directions to download the mobile app. For help, call or text Ginger Carlton at 281-814-3132.
For more information about Living Word events, visit the “Events” page at livingwordkaty.org
